The Santa Fe is the flagship and the best-selling model of the South-Korean automotive giant. Since 2000 the famous carmaker sold over 1.6 million vehicles around the globe. Now, the new 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe is almost ready to hit the streets. The Santa Fe will bring improved safety features, redesigned interior, more muscular look for the exterior and two powerful engine choices under the hood. This model is a two-row five-seat crossover that comes as a substitute for Santa Fe Sport.
However, the three-row 7-seat Santa Fe will eventually appear on the markets in the near future, but with a different name – Santa Fe XL. If you want quiet, reliable and classy SUV, you should definitely check out new Hyundai Santa Fe.
2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Exterior Design
The upcoming 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe will bring some major design changes, regarding the exterior and overall vehicle shape. The new cascading grille is the focal point of the front part, and the headlights are in a new position, lower than before. From the side, Santa Fe is defined by the character line that follows the headlights all the way to the taillights. This line is one of the main reasons why the side windows are taller and provide a perfect outward vision.
Furthermore, the side windows are encircled with satin-finish trim. The rear directional signals are redesigned, and now they sit at bumper level. The A-pillar is narrower and the side mirrors are fixed low on the doors. Also, among the features that will distinguish new Santa Fe from the rest of the class are aluminum-alloy wheels. These rollers will definitely give the vehicle more aggressive and muscular appearance.
Interior
The interior of the new 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe brings all that the average customer will adore: functionality, decent amount of equipment and technology and above all, comfort. The dashboard is a layered 3-level design and the seats use foam with different densities to make them more adjustable and comfy. Legroom offers generous space, headroom is also large enough, even with the optional sunroof in the spot.
The arrangement of controls knobs, buttons and switches is excellent, and they are grouped to the left of the tilt and steering wheel. Moreover, if you need extra elbow room, there’s an option to move forward the window switches and resolve that issue. The power rear liftgate also can be open with the swipe of the foot. The power liftgate has two speeds: 4.5 seconds or 6 seconds. The new Santa Fe offers a bit larger cargo area than the Santa Fe Sport model, for example. The total amount is 71.3 cubic feet of space.
Configurations
The 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe is a five-passenger SUV that will come in five different versions: SE, SEL, SEL Plus, Limited and Ultimate. All trim level will have the standard 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, that can develop 185 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque. However, the Limited and Ultimate versions will have optional turbo 2.0-liter powertrain, with 235 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque.
Also, all models will have both front-wheel and all-wheel drive, it’s up to you to choose. The 8-speed automatic is the standard and only option for all trim levels. The SE and SEL offer a decent amount of equipment, but the SEL Plus and Limited add some unique and exclusive features.
Engine Options and Towing Capacity
Under the hood of 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe will be two engine options to choose from. The standard powertrain is a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder unit that is able to produce 185 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm and 178 lb-ft of torque. The second option is a more powerful 2.0-liter mill. This engine can develop 235 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque. Also, both of these directly-injected engines will profit from using the brand-new electric variable valve-timing system. This system comes as a replacement for the old hydraulic one, and the Theta powertrain will gain a lot from it.
As for the towing capacity, the new model will provide pretty good ratings. If you want an SUV that can haul a small boat or camping trailer, 2020 Santa Fe will fit perfectly for that kind of tasks. In brief, the upcoming model will be set to tow up to 5,000 pounds. Also, the Santa Fe is rationally fuel efficient, for the mid-size crossover class. The EPA city/highway fuel economy for the 2.4-liter engine is 22/29 mpg. For the stronger 2.0-liter unit with 4-cylinder, the EPA city/highway fuel economy is 20/25 mpg.
2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Release Date and Price
The MSRP of the base 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe model starts around $27,000. The $1,000 of destination charge is included in that price. Next, the SEL trim level with Drive Mode package and a heated driver’s seat comes with a price just above $29,000. The SEL Plus adds the 18-inch wheels, 2-row cargo area, Infinity stereo system, and a hands-free liftgate. The price of the SEL Plus starts at $31,000. The Limited trim comes with a price tag just over $34,000 and adds leather seats to that beautiful cabin.
The top-line model, Ultimate will have a starting price nearly at $37,000 mark. The Ultimate includes a surround-view monitor, a head-up display, 8-inch touchscreen, and wireless smartphone charging. The 2.0-liter engine is available as an option only for the Limited and Ultimate models. This engine adds extra $1,800 to the price. With this price range, 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe is in line with the competitors like Chevy Equinox, Ford Edge, Nissan Murano, and Subaru Forester. The release date of the new model is set for the first quarter of 2020.